Revelation 18
Notes
Transcript
Friends, we are reading through a whole chapter again, so if you are able, Please stand as we read Scripture. Revelation 18
After this I saw another angel with great authority coming down from heaven, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. He called out in a mighty voice:
It has fallen, Babylon the Great has fallen! She has become a home for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, and a haunt for every unclean and despicable beast. For all the nations have drunk the wine of her sexual immorality, which brings wrath. The kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown wealthy from her sensuality and excess.
Then I heard another voice from heaven: Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins or receive any of her plagues. For her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes. Pay her back the way she also paid, and double it according to her works. In the cup in which she mixed, mix a double portion for her. As much as she glorified herself and indulged her sensual and excessive ways, give her that much torment and grief.
For she says in her heart, “I sit as a queen; I am not a widow, and I will never see grief.” For this reason her plagues will come in just one day—death and grief and famine. She will be burned up with fire, because the Lord God who judges her is mighty.
The kings of the earth who have committed sexual immorality and shared her sensual and excessive ways will weep and mourn over her when they see the smoke from her burning. They will stand far off in fear of her torment, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the mighty city! For in a single hour your judgment has come.
The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargo any longer—cargo of gold, silver, jewels, and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; all kinds of fragrant wood products; objects of ivory; objects of expensive wood, brass, iron, and marble; cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; wine, olive oil, fine flour, and grain; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and slaves—human lives.
The fruit you craved has left you. All your splendid and glamorous things are gone; they will never find them again. The merchants of these things, who became rich from her, will stand far off in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, dressed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, adorned with gold, jewels, and pearls; for in a single hour such fabulous wealth was destroyed!
And every shipmaster, seafarer, the sailors, and all who do business by sea, stood far off as they watched the smoke from her burning and kept crying out, “Who was like the great city?” They threw dust on their heads and kept crying out, weeping, and mourning,
Woe, woe, the great city, where all those who have ships on the sea became rich from her wealth; for in a single hour she was destroyed. Rejoice over her, heaven, and you saints, apostles, and prophets, because God has pronounced on her the judgment she passed on you!
Then a mighty angel picked up a stone like a large millstone and threw it into the sea, saying,
In this way, Babylon the great city will be thrown down violently and never be found again.
The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters will never be heard in you again;
no craftsman of any trade will ever be found in you again; the sound of a mill will never be heard in you again; the light of a lamp will never shine in you again; and the voice of a groom and bride will never be heard in you again.
All this will happen because your merchants were the nobility of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery. In her was found the blood of prophets and saints,
and of all those slaughtered on the earth.
Pray with me.
Have you heard of the concept of the Third Rail? SLIDE The concept comes from electric subway systems - there are the standard two rails on which the train rides - but there is also a third rail, sometimes called a conductor rail, which carries the electric current to power the subway. If a human were to touch the third rail they would likely die.
Well the concept is then often applied to cultural and especially political conversation. The idea that some subjects are so charged, that if someone talks about it they would be “committing social or political suicide.”
There are lots of third rails in our culture - even outside of politicians - think about stereotypical thanksgiving dinners. “oh don’t talk about that or uncle rico will get all riled up!”
Things like politics, money, sexuality, even addictions and various vices - “we don’t talk about that is polite company.”
Scripture however, the inspired word of God, doesn’t care about our “polite company” conversation limits. And it continually not only touches the third rail - but like runs on it. Regularly talking and confronting us on money, sex, and power and the various vices of our culture.
I can’t help but wonder if one of the reasons Churches in our country seem to lose their evangelistic fervor and their spiritual authority is because we refuse to talk about these “third rail” topics. Like we are okay talking about praying a prayer to go to heaven. We are moderately okay with talking about homosexuality and abortion if we are careful, we are nervous when we start talking about about divorce, adultery, and we are aghast when we talk about our money and the failings of our culture and country.
Scripture, however keeps on speaking the truth - whether we are willing to hear it and abide by it or not.
I say all this, for we may bump into some third rails today. Three great vices of the human heart - Money, sex, and power - all are deeply confronted in this section.
As much as we’d like to believe that our lives are unaffected by the corrosive forces of Satan and sin - Revelation helps us have our eyes opened to reality, and of our desperate need of Jesus.
In Chapter 18 we read off the fall of Babylon - which from Johns perspective is a type that is attached to Rome and any other sinful, idolatrous, and exploitative government and system.
Some of the seven churches to whom this letter of Revelation was written to were very enmeshed in the roman system to an unhealthy and compromising decree. Jesus is in his mercy revealing to his followers, to us, the destiny of Babylon, so that we can be found faithful and safe.
Let’s look at the passage - John seeds a new vision, verse 1:
After this I saw another angel with great authority coming down from heaven, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor.
This angel has great authority - immense power from heaven, from God - so much so that the earth was illuminated by splendor. Splendor is doxa - or glory.
The glory of the Lord - the radiance of God makes all things known. There is no hiddeness from God and his glory. This angel comes with immense authority in order to call it like it is from God’s perspective.
Sometimes us creatures and humans like to bask in our own supposed glory - we like to strut and show off, we like for people to notice us - but it is performative, and in comparison to the glory of the Lord will be revealed to be mere shadows.
This angel now leads a funeral dirge - a song to be sung at a funeral, much like a eulogy in our day - but more creative and poetic. Let’s read what the angel says, verses 2-3
He called out in a mighty voice: It has fallen, Babylon the Great has fallen! She has become a home for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, and a haunt for every unclean and despicable beast.
For all the nations have drunk the wine of her sexual immorality, which brings wrath. The kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown wealthy from her sensuality and excess.
The angel declares with a mighty voice the fall of the great evil empire Babylon - the great prostitute. And remember - this is bold, for in the last chapter there was much to link Babylon with Rome. So the apostle is declaring that the empire of Rome is like Babylon - and her time is coming to an end.
When she falls; She now is dwelling place for demons - and a haunt, or a prison, for unclean spirits, birds and beasts.
There is no more lying, no more show boating. The only things that remain are unclean and they are trapped there. This shows that all along it was actually demons and evil that were the natives of Babylon - just masquerading as something great.
It says the nations had drunk on the wine of her sexual immorality. And Porneia here, sexual immorality, is often used by the prophets for spiritual immorality. The people of God since Sinai, for the Israelites - all the way through the new covenant were a bride of God - bought at a price. And oftentimes slept with other little g gods. And this brings great wrath!
Why go to a false place to get the security and love that only God can provide?
God’s goal through Genesis, but through the covenants of the patriarchs were to be a light unto the nations - for the nations to come to worship Yahweh, but the people of God are unfaithful - and have exchanged the truth of God for a lie - and instead of going to the nations to bring them to God, walked into the nations, and got jealous of their stuff - and committed idolatry.
Not just the nations - the kings of the earth - they too are idolatrously immoral - wanting the power that came with Roman might they give in.
And not just the rulers - but the merchants of the earth - those who were profiteers over the whole things. They gained great wealth over the evil cities excess. So they had great desire for Babylon, rome, and evil systems to prosper - for if Babylon prospered - so did they. Because of this - their affections are tied to a corrupt and corrosive system. This is really dangerous, and goes all the way back to the seven churches and the temptations that they were facing -
The early Christians were at risk of financial persecution if they did not participate in imperial worship and pagan worship - but if they did participate there was actually quite a bit of wealth to be had. They felt the rub - and several it seems gave in.
Let’s read on - another voice from heaven, Look at verse 4
Then I heard another voice from heaven:
Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins or receive any of her plagues.
A voice rings out - perhaps the voice of God - maybe through an angelic mouthpiece - but from God’s perspective:
Come out of her, my people
This is a call of repentance from God to his people who may have taken up their homes in this city who is doomed. Coe out - so that you will not share in her sins or receive her plagues.
Again - the wrath of God is pointed at Babylon, the beasts, Satan - so don’t hang out with them! Instead flee.
If a house was burning down, and there were people inside. It’s one thing to run in, grab those who are trapped, and rescue them and run out. That’s one thing. IT’s another thing to run in, and realize that it’s actually kinda nice, and make dinner and sit down at the table. That’s foolishness - and yet many believers are tempted to do just that.
The voice continues, reading out the rap sheet - look at 5-7.
For her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes. Pay her back the way she also paid, and double it according to her works. In the cup in which she mixed, mix a double portion for her. As much as she glorified herself and indulged her sensual and excessive ways, give her that much torment and grief. For she says in her heart, “I sit as a queen; I am not a widow, and I will never see grief.”
Have you ever wondered why it seems like the wicked prosper? Have you ever grieved the injustice of it all? I mean there are systems and elements of the world that are just wretched. Slave labor, human trafficking - child labor - And while there are people who suffer - there are others behind it who prosper greatly.
Praise God - he sees it all. He remembers. And he will give her the wages of her sin.
As she is haughty and boastful - she will suffer and be brought low in mourning. Even as she boasts in her heart - God will bring her down. Verse 8
For this reason her plagues will come in just one day—death and grief and famine. She will be burned up with fire, because the Lord God who judges her is mighty.
Because of her evil and pride - her willful and proud disobedience - she will be punished. plagues, death, grief, and famine.
The image of fire is often used to indicate purifying metal. Right - one would melt gold down in order to burn away the impurities and leave the pure gold remaining.
Well Babylon will go into the furnace - and there will be nothing remaining - for the impurities are the whole.
The Judge is mighty.
How do people respond? Well first look at the kings of the earth, verses 9-10
The kings of the earth who have committed sexual immorality and shared her sensual and excessive ways will weep and mourn over her when they see the smoke from her burning. They will stand far off in fear of her torment, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the mighty city! For in a single hour your judgment has come.
The kings of the earth are mourning - they had gotten into bed with Babylon as it were - and they see the judgement and burning, and so they stand far off in fear! They are fearful that they will share in the same destruction as babylon. And they say - woe woe - great and mighty - these are words properly used to describe God - to which these so called kings are ascribing to Babylon! They stand in fear, hoping for the judgement of God to miss them.
They went to Babylon in order to fuel their passions and their powers - only to find themselves completely powerless, and without hope.
The idea of judgement coming in a single hour demonstrates the suddenness of the fall. It was going one way - then it collapsed quickly.
Now the merchants - verses 11-14
The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargo any longer—cargo of gold, silver, jewels, and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; all kinds of fragrant wood products; objects of ivory; objects of expensive wood, brass, iron, and marble; cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; wine, olive oil, fine flour, and grain; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and slaves—human lives. The fruit you craved has left you. All your splendid and glamorous things are gone; they will never find them again.
Why are the merchants sad? why do they mourn? because no one buys their cargo any more. They are sad because their pursuit of money has been foiled. They aren’t sad for babylon in and of itself - but because of their profit-loss statements.
And what did they trade in?
Luxuries. Opulence. And slaves.
They wanted money and luxury and therefore influence - and it’s all gone. Becuase it was fruit from Babylon. Scripture says the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil.
St. Augustine at one point as he was writing of the dangers of Rome leading up to it’s fall, said it this way:
“Through opulence dire corruption, more terrible than any invader, had taken violent possession, not of the walls of the city, but of the mind of the State.” Augustine; letter CXXXVIII
People have justified some wild things in order to get more money, more luxury, more comfort.
And now these merchants, like the kings of the earth see her fall and hide. verse 15-17a
Revelation 18:15-17a
The merchants of these things, who became rich from her, will stand far off in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, saying, “Woe, woe, the great city, dressed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, adorned with gold, jewels, and pearls; for in a single hour such fabulous wealth was destroyed!
The merchants loved babylon for the beauty and the wealth - and now it is suddenly gone.
the ones who now spread the luxuries of babylon and it’s influence have their turn - 17b - 19
And every shipmaster, seafarer, the sailors, and all who do business by sea, stood far off as they watched the smoke from her burning and kept crying out, “Who was like the great city?” They threw dust on their heads and kept crying out, weeping, and mourning, “Woe, woe, the great city, where all those who have ships on the sea became rich from her wealth; for in a single hour she was destroyed.”
These ones go so far as to put ashes on their head - deeply morning for the sudden collapse of their riches. Like ash Wednesday but for riches. Where do they put their trust? the almighty dollar.
How different is the response of the overcomers, verse 20:
Rejoice over her, heaven, and you saints, apostles, and prophets, because God has pronounced on her the judgment she passed on you!
As the world crushes Christians, pushing them to the sideline because they are unwilling to compromise - at times being persectued and harmed - God has taken up the church’s cause - and the judgement towards Babylon will be exacted - therefore we can rejoice and persevere.
In this world you will have trouble - but take heart for I have overcome the world.
We too are called to be overcomers - we do that by following the way of the Lamb - and in faith we will cling to christ through hardship, and yet be vindicated through the victorious resurrection and ascension of Christ.
The last section of Revelation 18 is a heavenly object lesson. 21-24
Then a mighty angel picked up a stone like a large millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “In this way, Babylon the great city will be thrown down violently and never be found again. The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters will never be heard in you again;
no craftsman of any trade will ever be found in you again; the sound of a mill will never be heard in you again; the light of a lamp will never shine in you again; and the voice of a groom and bride will never be heard in you again. All this will happen because your merchants were the nobility of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery. In her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all those slaughtered on the earth.
There is a clear allusion to Jeremiah 51, where Jeremiah’s servany Seraiah is told to tie a stone to a book containing the prophecy of Babylon’s judgement and to through it into the river Euphrates. Here the same image is being picked up - the time has come. The stone will sink and it will never raise again. The ways that she lured people into her demonic arms will be made known and they will be found wanting.
God will defend the lives of his people. And nothing can stand against God.
Stepping back - some have looked at the this chapter and the last two - and the ties for Babylon and Rome and wonder if this was a prophecy about the fall of ROme, though we should remember, that while rome was sacked and conquered, the roman emprie lasted for hundreds of years after that and had an eastern empire, and the holy roman empire across europe.
Though it does seem evident that god DOES and WILL judge nations and people based on their lives and works.
God is sovereign and gracious and the nations are instruments that he uses. But as they wander into idolatry nations throughout history have fallen.
This happens in the lives of people too.
I think I’ve shared this story before a couple years ago: but at our Church in eagan when I Serving as a youth and worship pastor - we had lots of adult classes and we were always looking for qualified people to help teach and lead these groups.
Well there was one former pastor who lived on the east coast, and had a moral failing early on in his ministry and was disqualified from ministry - but had moved to MN and after years of healing, had shown great repentance and was given a second chance to teach scripture at the church. He was a compelling teacher.
Well after some traumatic events at our church - he left the church, and started actively trying to poach others to leave and join a new church he was going to help pastor.
It was pretty dark, and even though our pastor tried to reach out - was met with resistance.
Friends, that man had an annuerism and died suddenly like two weeks after that. It’s as if, god had given him a second chance, and as this man continued to reek havoc in the Church, God just removed from the equation.
Now that’s a hard and crazy story right, and I’m not declaring judgement - that’s God’s job - but as we look throughout biblical history and our histories - with a sober mind we can see how God does indeed allow some to reap what the sow, and other times it seems like he steps in and deals with it directly.
Nations will be judged. So will humans. And heaven will witness it all, and sing songs to God’s glory.
Let’s step back and ask our question:
So What?
This chapter is a call for Believers to come out of Babylon or Rome, or any system or nation that’s ways are contrary to the ways of God. Every culture has virtues and vices, and it can be quite difficult to know what is true when your in the middle of it.
And not everything in a given culture or nation is bad - in fact a lot of cultures have great goodness that is pleasing to God, and a whole slew of things that are neutral. And every culture has things that are contrary to the Gospel.
While we know this - oftentimes, our fleshly desire, our default desire is to accommodate and adapt to our culture because it’s comfortable.
Tim Keller in his work Center Church talks about the contextualization of the Gospel in different cultures. He proposes that when the Gospel comes into a culture, each culture has A values, B values, and C values in how they interact with the Gospel. SLIDE
A values are values that accentuate the Gospel. Think of how some culture’s have a high priority of hospitality - that’s a beautiful picture of the Gospel. Some cultures have a hight value of human life. Some have a high value of truth. Every Culture has some evidence of the goodness of God written on their hearts.
B Values are values that are gray. They neither promote nor hinder the gospel in and of themselves. They perhaps can be used for the gospel, or can be warped for evil. Think of economic prosperity. In and of itself - not bad, and can do great good - or can corrupt the heart and exploit others.
C Values are ones that promote cultural idolatry. From blatant paganism - to hyper individualism, to over sexualization, to abuse and polygamy, there are many.
As believers living in a given culture - it is imperative for us to take an audit of the culture we are living in. In submission to Scripture, the Spirit, and each other - we ought to make sure we have eyes open to the ways Satan and his beasts twist our culture to devour and to make sure we are not participating in the evil ways.
It’s interesting - it’s generally much easier to see the bad in other peoples cultures, than our own - for we get defensive (perhaps an indication that our identities are more national rather than kingdom of God). When Alliance international workers go overseas - they spend a long time reflecting on the culture they’re going to live in to see what the A B C values are.
When we started church planting, one of the more important questions we wrestle with is: “What does lostness look like here?” Have you ever wondered that?
In our area - what does lostness look like? I mean alcoholism is rampant. So is drug use. There is a high level of prideful individualism. There is a ton of passive aggressiveness and a lack of transparency.
Think about what lostness looks like in our area - and in our hearts (for we all have our individual bents towards sin) - then ask the question: in what ways am I complicit in these ways? what do I need to repent of.
2 main thoughts for us here.
Beware the promises of Money Sex and Power.
Babylon seems to promote three vices that humans crave as a way to get their identity wrong.
If I have enough money I will be important, happy, and secure.
If I have enough sex I will be important, happy, and manly / womanly.
If I have enough power I will be important, secure, and dominant.
Yall - the only way to have security eternally is to be in the eternal kingdom. All the wealth in the world will pass away. But treasures of the Kingdom are forever. Money is helpful - but a lusting after money will only lead to hardship and sin.
Sex and love are beautiful gifts God has given so that we can be fruitful and multiply and experience closeness - within the bounds of covenant marriage. When we go searching outside of this - we actually sin against our own bodies, and treat others as commodities. What feels like “just” an emotional affair, or “just” pornography, grows tainted hearts that lead to so much death and destruction - and leaves us feeling used, sad, and inhuman.
And power - theres a saying, absolute power corrupts absolutely. We need to realize that it is God that is omnipotent - and we need to rest in his power and authority and dominance. He is the eternal one, not us. We don’t want to get too big for our britches. So we need to check our ambitions at the throne of God and regularly submit to God and others.
All of these will help us:
2. Come out of Babylon ||
Active Repentance
